ASK WITH CONFIDENCE
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
James 1:5-8 (NLT)
Have you ever asked for something, knowing in advance that the answer would be no? Maybe it was asking your spouse if you could splurge on a big purchase. Maybe you were asking your boss for a raise or more PTO. Maybe you were just asking your child if you could have their last cookie. But you went into it already defeated in your mind, believing you’d be told no.
Do we approach God the same way, thinking the automatic answer is no? This self-defeating mindset can become a self-fulfilling prophecy because we don’t actually believe that God wants to say yes. We don’t think that He will actually come through for us. Underneath these beliefs lies another belief—that God is not really good and doesn’t love us. We wouldn’t say that aloud, but that shaky foundation can ultimately inform every facet of our relationship with God.
James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in this passage that if we need wisdom, we can ask God for it, and He will provide it. This passage is specific to wisdom, but there’s a broader truth here—God will meet our needs. We need only ask. But as James explains, we must ask, believing that God will really answer. Far too often, we relegate asking God to our backup plan instead of our first course of action. Our loyalty is divided between God and the world. We’ll place our hope and faith in ourselves, our bank accounts, our network, etc., until we have no other choice. No one likes to be someone’s backup plan—including God! Let’s make Him our first plan. Let’s ask Him to meet all our needs, believing that not only He can, but He will!
APPLICATION: Where are you placing your hope and faith besides in God? Once you’ve identified that, ask God to help your faith grow in Him. Then, ask Him to meet any other needs you may have. It’s okay to ask! Just ask, believing that He will answer!
PRAYER: God, help me to remember that You’re not distant and disengaged, even when I may feel that way. Help me not to be formed by my feelings but rather by my faith in You. You’re a good Father who gives good gifts to His children. Help me to approach You with confidence in my times of need. I love You—thank You for loving me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?